'When you hear hoofbeats, think of horses not zebras' - the old adage is well-known to GPs but what should you do when faced with a zebra, not a horse? Consultant cardiologist Professor Robert Tulloh and GP Dr Louise Tulloh kick off our new series with their advice on how to catch Kawasaki disease in general practice.

New legislation expands GPs' duty of candour

The GP duty of candour has been expanded to north of the border with the passing of the Health (Scotland) Bill last week by Holyrood MSPs.

The new statutory duty means GPs and other health and social care providers in Scotland will have to inform patients and their families when a patient has been accidentally harmed as a result of their care or treatment, either mentally or physically.

As part of the new duty, providers will also have to publish annual reports on the duty of candour, detailing the incidents during the year.

Scottish public health minister Maureen Watt said of the Bill: ’Our proposals on duty of candour will ensure that health and social care providers are fully open when a patient has suffered unintentional harm. They will improve transparency, raise standards and help us to learn from past mistakes.’

The Health (Scotland) Bill also introduces new criminal offences of wilful neglect or ill treatment that apply to the rare cases where there has been intentional neglect or ill-treatment in the health or social care system. This only applies to deliberate mistreatment and not instances of genuine error or accident.

It also brings in:

Regulation of e-cigarettes - banning the sale of non-medicinal e-cigarettes to under-18s or the purchase by an adult for a minor. Retailers also have to join a central register;

Making it a statutory offence to smoke in the vicinity of hospital buildings;

A duty on the NHS to provide equipment and support to people who lose their voices.

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Readers' comments (3)

Anonymous
| Sessional/Locum GP08 Mar 2016 9:30am

Don't we all do that already? What next, legislation to force mandatory physical examination in every consultation? 'Madam, I know you came in for a repeat prescription but I need to examine you from head to toe please, its the law'The medical profession was at its peak when it self-regulated. Add frigging politicians in the mix and look at us now! What a mess!